Exploring the Revised Common Lectionary

Presented by Taylor Burton-Edwards

Director of Worship Resources

General Board of Discipleship,

The United Methodist Church

Chair, The Consultation on Common Texts

Copyright 2014, The General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church. Congregations may reproduce this presentation for educational purposes. For any other purposes, contact worship@gbod.org for permissions.

What Are Lectionaries?

Lists of readings for Sundays, feast days and daily office Earliest example– 4th century (Athanasius) Multiple versions, but general agreement on major feast days (Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Pentecost, Holy Week) Collation but some regional differences remain through Trent (1560s)

Common Lectionaries

Trent completes regularization of lectionaries for the West (1560s) Cranmer develops lectionary for England, and other reformers for their faithful By 17th century– Rome + multiple Protestant versions, with agreements on many holy days 1960s – Vatican II and the Common Texts/Common Lectionary projects -- Consultation on Common Texts

Why a Revised Common Lectionary

Common Lectionary published 1983 for trial use.

With feedback from 2 cycles of use, CCT sought…

To expand the amount and scope of the Bible covered in three years

Amount– lengthened readings, added coverage of books

Scope– more stories about women, the poor, and the

outcast than any before

To provide for both complementary and semi-continuous readings

To reflect historic lectionary traditions better

The Sunday Texts

First Lesson: OT or Acts (Easter Season)

Psalm: As a response to the first lesson

Epistle

Gospel– one per year with John interspersed

Distribution of the Scriptures

Year A Year B Year C Festival Seasons

Matthew Mark

(John 6)

Luke John

Patriarchs and Moses

David Elijah-Elisha and Exilic prophets

Prophets

1&2 Cor, Romans, Phil., I Thess.

1&2 Cor, Romans, Ephesians, James, Heb.

1 Cor, Gal., Col., Heb., Phm, I&2 Tim 2 Thess

I Peter, Johannine, Revelation

What Readings Are Related When?

Advent-Christmas Season All readings relate to each other, focus gospel

After Baptism of the Lord:

OT/Gospel related (complementary),

Epistle semi-continuous

Lent-Trinity

All readings relate to each other, focus gospel

After Trinity:

Semi-continuous (only OT/Psalm relate) or

Complementary (OT/Gospel relate)

The Season after Pentecost: Semi-Continuous

Choose ONE stream or switch streams

(For example: Year A)

• Gospel

• Epistle

• Old Testament

• Matthew

• I&2 Cor, Rom, Phil, I Thess

• Patriarchs and Moses

Two Major Cycles and “Ordinary Time”

Advent-Christmas Cycle

• Advent: Beginning with the end

• Christmas Season: The Mystery of Incarnation

Lent-Easter Cycle

• Lent: Learning to Live the Way (Catechesis)

• Easter Season: The Mystery of Resurrection (Mystagogy and Ministry Formation)

Ordinary Time • After Epiphany: “Training the midwives” • After Pentecost: “Supporting the ministers” • Numbering system to locate propers anchored

to culmination of previous season

Scripture Focus in Christian Year • Advent– The second coming of Christ

• Christmas Season– God becoming flesh and dwelling among us

• After Epiphany– Early ministry of Jesus

• Lent – Preparing for baptism

• Holy Week– Last days of Jesus

• Easter Season– Seven weeks of “mystagogy” celebrating resurrection and Spirit (doctrinal training, ministry discernment)

• After Pentecost– Teaching/Ministry of Jesus, life as Church, Patriarchs/Kings/Prophets 10

Major Feast Days in Ordinary Time

• Baptism of the Lord

• Transfiguration

• Trinity

• All Saints

• Christ the King/Reign of Christ

All texts relate to each other

Primary focus on the gospel, OT and Epistle complementary as during major festal cycles

Sunday to Sunday: Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings

Related to Sunday rather than daily office lectionary (2 year cycle, focus on Psalms) For each day: Old Testament, New Testament and a Psalm Monday-Wednesday– Readings relate to previous Sunday Thursday to Saturday– Readings lead into upcoming Sunday Readings available as book (Augsburg Fortress), online download (http://www.commontexts.org/publications) or in devotional guide (A Disciple’s Journal)

For More Information

• Consultation on Common Texts Website: http://www.commontexts.org/

• Questions about the Lectionary http://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/faq2.php

• GBOD Worship Website www.umcworship.org